Board Members

Jon Sharp, President & Treasurer – Inspired by a succession of great guitar teachers including Michael Bautista, Patrick Francis, Steve Lin and Ben Zussman, Jon has studied music formally at West Valley Community Collegjone and at San Jose State University where he received his Masters degree in Classical Guitar performance in 2009. Along the way he has performed with the San Jose State University Guitar Quartet as well as the San Jose State Collegium Musicum early music group. Jon has also played in Master Classes for acclaimed guitarists Adam Holzman, Martha Masters, Berta Rojas, James Smith, Scott Tenant, Jason Vieaux and Andrew York. In the Bay Area he was an active Board member of the South Bay Guitar Society and remains a member of the Guitar Foundation of America. He has performed at public events including Tapestry for the Arts Festival, the Alameda Guitar festival, San Jose Concert for Hope, musical theater & numerous private events. He has taught guitar classes for the East Union High School District – Adult program, as well as teaching privately for a number of years. Jon’s playing at Fresno VA was featured in the LA Times.

He takes his guitar wherever he goes. It is not unusual to find him practicing outdoors or under a mosquito net on camping trips. Official Website


Steve Stratton, Secretary  In 2018, Steve decided to take up the guitar again after a 40 year hiatus while working and raising a family.  His early musical life included singing in some of the great cathedrals in England with a touring boy’s choir, and playing guitar in various blues/rock bands in his high school years.  Now retired from a career in environmental engineering, he spends his time traveling, golfing, fly fishing, and now learning to play classical guitar under the watchful eye of Cameron O’Connor.  Steve brings a wealth of experience in non-profit management to the Corvallis Guitar Society, and a passion for his new endeavor.


Cameron O’Connor, Artistic Directorwhose playing has been described as “stunning and emotive” (Eugene Register-Guard), enjoys a diverse career in solo, chamber, contemporary, and popular music. Recent and upcoming highlights include solo and duo recitals throughout Japan; performing as a guest artist at the Loyola Marymount, Corvallis, Siempre la Guitarra, and Northwest Guitar Festivals; performing with LA Opera artists in the premiere of Neely Bruce’s oratorio, Circular 14; chamber music and opera appearances with Eugene Opera and musicians of the Oregon Symphony; at the New World Symphony in Miami (for which the South Florida Classical Review noted that he was “especially effective in the quick and diabolical figures”);  performing with Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony; and appearing under the baton of Chinese composer Tan Dun in his Eastern-tinged Concerto for Six, for which the New York Times reviewed that “O’Connor fluttered on his guitar strings in a manner reminiscent of a pipa player’s technique.” Additionally, O’Connor is a prizewinner in ten international competitions, including the Tokyo and Frances Walton. His performances have been featured in films, from James Franco’s Don Quixote to Scott Tennant’s instructional classic Pumping Nylon, and on radio broadcasts such as KPFK’s Global Village, KingFM’s Northwest Live!Portland All-Classical, and American Public Media’s Performance Today. . As a composer, O’Connor’s music has gained international recognition; his Three Northwestern Scenes was chosen for a performance at the 21st Century Guitar Conference in Ottawa, Canada, and his Perturbation Variations won the Keene State Call for Scores, the “Outstanding Winner” at the Changsha International Guitar Festival, and was a finalist in the Portugal International Composition Competition. O’Connor was a full scholarship recipient at CSU Northridge, where he studied with Ron Borczon and lute with Ron Purcell; the Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied with Sharon Isbin; and at the USC Thornton School of Music under William Kanengiser. Upon completion of that degree, the Thornton School designated him as Outstanding Doctoral Graduate. O’Connor also performs regularly in musical theatre productions on electric guitar, banjo, and mandolin, and now serves on the faculty of Oregon State University. www.cameronoconnor.com


Berto Boyd, Berto has now retired from the Guitar Society after departing from Corvallis, though he was fundamental in establishing Corvallis Guitar Society together with Jon Sharp in 2014. He is musical director for Flamenco Pacifico, artistic director of the Corvallis Guitar Society and the owner of Berto Boyd Presents LLC. His first original solo publication “12 Flamenco Etudes”  was released in February 2018. Berto is recognized as one of the top professionals in the music industry. As a former music broker/owner of Boyd Music Services and BertoFlamenco Productions in Santa Barbara, CA, he regularly employed over 35 of SoCal’s finest Classical, Jazz and Flamenco musicians for many high-end private events, corporate events, and for many well-known celebrities.